Surfacing tool



Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

HUGH BAUER, or SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SURFACING TOOL.

Application filed November 12,1927 Serial No. 232,857.

My invention relates to improvements in surfacing tools for evening the surfaces of plastered or tiled walls, and the like The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved'tool for use in suriacing walls. '7

Another object is to provide an improved tool which will facilitate the evening of plaster or cement for tiled Walls. j

A further object is to provide an improved tool having a taut wire straight edge to facilitate the smoothing of a plaster or ce ment wall and the removing of surplus plaster or cement. a i Another object is to provide an improved tool having a wire straight edge and provided with improved means for maintaining: said wire in a straight taut condition.

Another object is to provide an improved tool of the character described having guides whereby the tool may be guided along a molding or other abutment and the wire straight edge positioned in desired spaced relation to the surface of such abutment.

A further object is to provide an improved tool of the character described provided with a rigid straight edge'bead arranged to engage I accomplish these and other objects by.

mean of the improved device disclosedin the drawings forming a part of thepresent application wherein like characters of reference are used to designateslmilar parts throughout the specification and drawings and in which A V Fig. 1 is a broken side elevation of my improved surfacing tool;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tool as shown in Fig. 1; j a

Fig. 3 is a left end elevation of the tool, as shown in Fig. 2;- H 1" r 1 Figs. 4 and 5 are broken sectional views showing "different forms of wire supports; and I Fig. 6 is a broken sectional view showing the tile floor evening bead.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate in general a body, pref erably consisting of a relatively long narrow strip of wood having parallel longitudinal edges. A wire 2 is mounted in spaced relation to one longitudinal edge of the body l, one end of said wire be ng secured upon a rigid support 3 secured upon the end of the body. The other end of the wire 2 is secured to an adjustable support 4 arranged to be operated by a screw 6. and wing nut 7 to stretch the, wire taut between the supports 3 and 4. The adjustable support is preferably slidably mounted upon the edge of the body 1 and arranged to be moved relative to a rigid plate 8 secured upon the adjacent end of the body 1 and extending upwardly therefrom to receive the screw 6 and to form an abutment for the wing nut 7. A plurality of supporting posts 9 and 9' are secured at intervals along the edge of the body 1 and arranged to engage and hold the wire 2 in a straight line and prevent displacement of said wire when in service, The posts 9 are apertured and the wire 2 threaded through the apertures, as at 11 The posts 9 are notched at the outer endand the wire Zreceived within the notch, as at 12. i

i A head 13 is arranged upon the longitu dinal edge of the body 1 opposite the wire 2.

The bead 13preferably consists of a metal stripinset into the edge of the body 1 and having an outwardly extending rounded edge forming a straight edge, extending substantially the full length of the body 1, said strip being secured by screws '14 or other suitable securing means arranged to rigidly secure the bead.

GuideslG are adjustably secured upon the ends of the body 1, said guides consisting of metal plates havinglongitudinally disposed. slots 15 arranged to engage threaded posts 17 mounted upon the ends of the body 1. The guides are provided with outwardl r turned extensions 18. WVing nuts 19 are threaded onto the posts 17 tolock the guide plates 16 in adjusted positions.

My'improved surfacing tool is primarily useful in the laying of tile surfaces, In this connection, the wire straight edge,

stretched taut to insure a true straight edge,

plaster or cement. By thus cutting through the surplus quantities of cement, the surplus falls away clean without rolling and removing additionalquantities of cement or plaster. At the same time an even and substantially smooth surface is obtained onto which tile may be easily and evenly set in the ordinary manner. The slight, marks made by the supports 9 and 9 serving to hold the wire 2 against inward or transverse bowing while the wire is being moved across a surface, may be readily smoothed out, if desired, but ordinarily will be covered by the tile.

In laying ornamental tile moldings and the like, the edge of the body 1 is applied along the upper edges of such molding, not shown. By tapping the upper edge of the body lightly with a mallet or other suitable tool, the upper edges of the molding tiles may be quickly and accurately alined and evened. To facilitate this tapping, the wire straight edge 2 is offset from the center of the body 1 to afford adequate surface against which the mallet may strike. The head 13 is offset from the center in the opposite direction to afford adequate clearance outside of the molding tile to prevent the metal head from engaging the tiling.

In preparing floors and the like for tiling, the bead 18 is utilized for evening the surface of the cement. In this connection, surplus cement is scraped oif by resting the bead 18 against the surface of'the cement and moving the straight edge formed by said head and the edge of the body 1 to scrape off the surplus and to smooth the surface. The metal bead 13 lends durability and prevents excessive wear upon the wooden body 1 of the tool. At the same time, the metal bead 13 serves to prevent Warping of the wooden body.

lVhere moldings, sashes, or other outwardly extending members are present along the edges of the surface to be tiled, the guides 16 are adjusted so that the outwardly extending ends 18 may be applied against such members andmoved therealong as a guide, said guides being so positioned that the straight edge wire 2 will be held and guided in the desired spaced relation to thesurface of the guiding member. The guides 16 are arranged to bereversed upon the posts 17 to permit their use in connection with the rigid head 13 when desired.

While I have illustrated and described only the preferred embodiment of my invention, the device is, of course, subject to mod ification in numerous details of construction Without departing from the spirit of the in-. vention. I therefore do not wish to restrict myself to the specific form and construction disclosed but desire to avail myself of all modifications which may fall within the scope of the. appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A surfacing tool comprising a body; a wire mounted in spaced relation to one edge of the body; and means for stretching the wire taut.

2. A surfacing tool comprising a body; a wire mounted in spaced relation to one edge of the body; means for stretching the wire taut; and a plurality of wire supports mounted upon the body and engaging the wire to prevent displacement of the wire when in service. p

3. A surfacing tool comprising a body a wire mounted in spaced relation to one edge of the body and stretched taut to form a straight edge; and guides mounted upon the body.

4. A surfacing tool comprising a body a wire mounted in spaced relation to one'edge of the body and stretched taut to form a straight edge; and guides adjustably mounted upon the body.

5. A surfacing tool comprising a body; a wire mounted in spaced parallel relation to the edge of the body; means for stretching the wire taut to form a straight edge; supports mounted at intervals along the body and engaging the wire to prevent the same from bowing; and guides mounted upon the body. I

6. A surfacing tool comprising a body; a wire mounted in spaced relation to one longitudinal edge of the body, said wire being stretched taut to form a straight edge; and a straight edge bead arranged along the 0pposite longitudinal edge.

7. A surfacing tool comprising a body having straight parallel longitudinal edges; a wire stretched to form a straight edge in spaced parallel relation to one longitudinal edge of the body; and a bead extending outwardly from the opposite edge of the body, the extreme outer surface of said head forming a straight edge parallel to the surface of the body edge.

8. A surfacing tool comprising a body; a wire stretched to form a straight edge in spaced relation to one longitudinal edge of the body; and a bead inset into the opposite longitudinal edge of the body and extending outwardly slightly to form a straight edge along the body.

9. A surfacing tool comprising a body; a wire stretched to form a straight edge in spaced relation to one longitudinal edge of the body, said wire being laterally offset from the center line of the body; and a rigid bead arranged upon the opposite longitudinal edge of the body to form a strai ht edge therealong, said head being laterally offset from the center line of the body in a direction opposite to the offset of the wire.

10. A surfacing tool comprising a body; a Wire stretched to form a straight edge in spaced relation to one longitudinal edge of the body, said wire being laterally oflset from the center line of the body; and a" rigid bead arranged upon the opposite longitudinal edge of the body to form a straight edge therealong, said bead being laterally ofiset from the center line of the body in a direction opposite to the offset of the Wire; and guides mounted upon the ends of the body.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto set my signature.

HUGH BAUER. 

